Report: Homelessness on decline in Providence

PROVIDENCE WAS one of 22 cities that participated in the 33rd annual assessment of hunger and homelessness recently conducted by The U.S. Conference of Mayors.
PROVIDENCE WAS one of 22 cities that participated in the 33rd annual assessment of hunger and homelessness recently conducted by The U.S. Conference of Mayors.

PROVIDENCE – Providence was one of 22 cities that participated in the 33rd annual assessment of hunger and homelessness recently conducted by The U.S. Conference of Mayors.
And while homelessness was on the decline in Rhode Island’s capital city over the year, the main causes behind homelessness for both families with children and individuals were a lack of affordable housing, unemployment and poverty.
The report said that the number of homeless families decreased 15 percent and the number of homeless individuals declined 5 percent over the past year.
Among homeless adults, 38 percent are severely mentally ill, 35 percent are physically disabled, 18 percent are employed, 9 percent are veterans, 30 percent are domestic violence victims and 2 percent are HIV positive, the report said.
Providence shelters, according to the report, had to increase the number of persons or families that can sleep in a single room and distribute vouchers for hotel or motel stays because shelter beds were not available over the past year, despite the decline.
Homeless shelters also had to turn away homeless families because there were no beds available, and city officials estimated that 10 percent of the demand for emergency shelter went unmet over the past year.
Next year, city officials expect both the number of homeless families and the number of homeless individuals to decrease moderately, and resources to provide emergency shelter to continue at about the same level.
Providence, with a population of approximately 179,000, has a median household income of $37,514, a metro unemployment rate of 4.7 percent and 29.7 percent of people living in poverty. Providence Mayor Jorge O. Elorza participated in the survey.

“This report reflects what we already know to be true. Cities and their partnering agencies, along with local charities and volunteers, have worked extraordinarily well together to respond to the needs of those who are hungry and homeless. Yet, despite their efforts, these challenges persist in an economy that, while on the mend, is still lagging,” Santa Barbara, Calif., Mayor Helene Schneider, co-chair of the Task Force on Hunger and Homelessness, said in a statement. “We want to underscore that even with exemplary local programs in place to help those in need, the effects of hunger and homelessness are still felt by many families across the nation. Our federal policies must respond to the growing pressure that the national economy has placed on many localities.”

Low wages led the list of causes of hunger cited by the survey cities, followed by poverty and high housing costs. City officials said that more jobs with higher wages, including a living wage, as well as more affordable housing, are actions that should be taken to reduce hunger, the report said.

Over the past year, the total number of homeless persons increased across the survey cities by an average of 1.6 percent, with 58 percent of the survey cities reporting an increase, and 42 percent reporting a decrease.

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When asked what actions should be taken to reduce homelessness, city officials cited actions such as providing more assisted housing and more permanent supportive housing for people with disabilities.
In addition to Providence and Santa Barbara, the 22 survey cities, whose mayors are members of The U.S. Conference of Mayors Task Force on Hunger and Homelessness, include: Asheville, N.C.; Baltimore; Charleston, S.C.; Chicago; Cleveland; Dallas; Des Moines, Iowa; Los Angeles; Louisville, Ky.; McKinney, Texas; Memphis, Tenn.; Nashville, Tenn.; Norfolk, Va.; Philadelphia; Saint Paul, Minn.; Salt Lake City; San Antonio; San Francisco; Seattle and Washington, D.C.
Officials were asked to provide information about the causes of hunger and homelessness in their cities, and the emergency food assistance and homeless services provided between Sept. 1, 2014, and Aug. 31. In addition, they were asked for their assessment of the demand for services and resources available to them in the year ahead.

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